Israel ex-president appeals rape conviction

Katsav will appeal his conviction on charges of rape, sexual harassment, indecent acts and obstruction of justice [AFP]

Former Israeli president Moshe Katsav is appearing before the Israeli Supreme Court to appeal his conviction and sentence for rape and sexual harassment, a justice ministry official has said.

"Katsav arrived at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem this morning, accompanied by his lawyers, to appeal his conviction and sentence," the official said on Sunday.

Katsav will appeal his December conviction on charges of rape, sexual harassment, indecent acts and obstruction of justice.

He will also challenge a seven-year prison sentence, handed down in March, as well as a two-year suspended sentence and an order he pay compensation of $28,000 to the main victim, known only as "Aleph", as well as $7,000 to a second victim.

Throughout the 18-month trial, Katsav was portrayed as a sexual predator who routinely harassed his female staff.

However, he denied the charges against him, saying he was the target of a media plot and that his interactions with his female staff were consensual.

The former president was scheduled to begin serving his prison sentence on May 8, but Supreme Court justice Yoram Danziger agreed to delay it until after his appeal.